


Star Dust

by Chocobae



Series: Stars (Leonard McCoy) [2]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Aliens, F/M, Fanfiction, Other, relationship, space
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-21
Updated: 2016-12-09
Packaged: 2018-05-08 04:46:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 20,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5483954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chocobae/pseuds/Chocobae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cheyenne Jade is back again with the crew of the USS Enterprise. Their mission this time is stop a man by the name John Harrison who has declared a one man war against Starfleet. As Cheyenne is on a mission of her own to balance out things with Leonard McCoy, who is now her boyfriend. People will die, and Cheyenne might not have the power to stop it this time around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. To Hell with the Prime Directive

_Class M Planet- Nibiru_   
_(12 Hours Before Drop)_

I was down in the Medical Wing looking over reports and information of the species of the planet we were currently hiding in the sea of. I was trying to get as much information for Jim, Spock, Bones, Sulu, and Uhura as possible before their drop to save the planet, as well as the species that lived upon it. I was up for two days before this, getting everything from Spock and other Science Officers, even getting everything from the Starfleet data base. Not much was concluded in anyway for the planet and the life forms.

“You been at this for hours.”

I looked over to see Bones behind me, looking down at me. I laughed lightly, shaking my head, before turning around in my chair to look at Bones directly.

“Yes, because someone's got to do it,” I said, to him, fixing my hair a little bit. “And you're a bit busy the past few days.”

Bones knelled down in front of me, taking a hold of my hands, and kissed him. I shook my head at him once again, laughing lightly. Bones been like this towards me for years now, and look at us. He's a complete sweetheart towards me and a jackass to everyone else aboard the Enterprise. It was to be expected, after all, we've gone through so much together.

“Oh, Cheyenne,” he said, chuckling, looking at me with a smirk. “I always have time for you,”

I took a hold of Bones' shirt, pulling him up towards me a little bit. My lips firmly pressed against Bones', pulling him even closer to me. These past few days while planing to save this entire, I haven't gotten a chance to even see Bones' much less be around him long enough to even speak to him. Now, at this moment, with this short chance. I was going to take it. I slipped from my chair, kneeling upon the floor with Bones. Our lips moved in sync slowly, and full of passion. Luckily  there  was a desk behind where I was working at, so no one could really see us, unless they came up to the desk and looked over it.

“Could you two both get a room at least?”

I pulled away, sighing. I looked up, my eyes locking on Jim's, who was looking at Bones and I amused with a smirk. Of course he was smirking at Bones and I, who wouldn't, after all, we were just making out.

“Let me guess,” I said, standing up, fixing my uniform and hair. “You need Bones back.”

“You have that right,” Jim said, clapping his hands together. “Come on Bones, we got work to do.”

Bones groaned, getting up, fixing his shirt as well. He looked at me one last time before looking to Jim. Bones gave Jim a grim look before waving his hand in a 'go away' manner. “I'll be there in a minute,” Bones said, looking back towards me.

“Yeah, I'll be you 5 minutes,” Jim said, walking out of my office to wait outside.

“Sorry, about Jim,” he said, his voice hushed. “I thought I would get a little bit more time to spend with you.”

“It's okay,” I said, kissing his cheek. “I'm happy you dropped by at least,”

Bones smiled. Trapping me in between where I was working and his body. He kissed me again. Slowly. Passionate. I held onto his shirt with one hand as the other held onto the edge of my desk.

  
_Class M Planet- Nibiru_   
_(Present Time)_

I stood upon the Enterprise, waiting for any form of word from both parties. I sat in the Captain's chair, watching both parties do what they needed to get done. Chekov was with me on the bridge and watched along with me.

“ _Kirk to Shuttle One,_ ” Jim said, panting into his com. “ _Locals are out of the kill zone. You're clear. Repeat, Spock get in there and neutralize the Volcano and let's get out of here!_ ”

“Good to hear things are going well...” I said, relaxing back in the chair. “You had me worried there for a second, Jim.”

“ _Chey,_ ” Jim said through his com, sounding like he was tired, as well as ready to rip my throat out. “ _I know if this didn't go well and I let Bones or Spock die, you would have my neck._ ”

“Oh, you know me so well,” I said, laughing, then heard Bones shout out something until Sulu cut in.

“ _Copy that, Captain!_ ” Sulu said, followed by 'DAMMIT SULU!' from Jim's side. At least Bones still had his personality after this while time of planning for this.

Nothing changed the fat that I was still worried about everyone, even Bones, as well as my cousin Spock. Ever since the indecent with Vulcan, Spock and I have grown closer. As well as having Bones to put up with both the nagging from Spock and Jim for dating me. Dating Bones has been great. There has been the odd up and down, but other than  that, it was all good.

Spock's voice coming through the comm broke my train of thought. “ _Captain, did any representatives of the indigenous intelligence see you? As the risk of repeating the obvious and despite the difficulties inherent in our current effort, I must repeat that the Prime Directive clearly states that there can be no perceived external interference with the internal development of an alien civiliza-_ ”

“ _No, Mr. Spock, they did not! I know what it says! I might have missed a few details here and there in certain classes..._ ” Jim's voice came in response. “ _...but I didn't miss that one. We're not supposed to be here at all. It's because of the Prime Directive that we're having to do this the hard way. Now, drop off your super ice cube and let's get out of here! Kirk out!_ ”

I sat there once again, in silence, with everyone doing their own things around me. I was really worried that something bad was going to happen, and I had no power in anyway to help.

“ _I can't hold us here!_ ” Sulu's voice broke through the comm, causing my eyes to widen. Why do I always jinx myself? “ _Activity is becoming more violent, and the stabilizers' algorithms aren't designed to cope with this combination of heat and atmospheric distortion. Spock, we have to pull you back up!”_

“ _Negative, Mr. Sulu,_ ” Spock replied. “ _This will be our only chance to save this entire species. If this volcano erupts, this planet dies. I would be remiss in my duties as a science officer were I to terminate this mission now._ ”

“Spock!” I broke in, shooting up in the Captain's chair. “Don't speak like that! We need you aboard this ship!”

There was silence from the other end, leaving me there with unanswered questions. Spock's life was at stake, as well as maybe millions of others upon this planet, including everyone aboard the Enterprise. I was slowly beginning to panic inside, with no idea of what I should do. At the moment I was acting Captain for Jim, and I had no idea what I should do at this given moment.

“ _Spock,_ ” Uhura's voice came through. I could hear the distress in her voice. “ _We're going to try and get back to the Enterprise._ ”

“ _Captain, we're pulling out while we still can._ ” Sulu said, contacting Jim. “ _Even so, I don't know if we'll be able to make it back to the designated drop location for the ship. I'm ditching the shuttle. You've got to make it to the Enterprise on your own_ .”

“ _Wonderful,_ ” was Jim's response, with maybe additional commentary from Bones. But who knew.

It felt like hours until I heard Scotty's voice telling me Jim and Bones were approaching the ship. I quickly got up, spitting out quickly to Chekov he had the comm before racing down to the air lock bay- well, water bay at the moment, yet that didn't matter.

My feet carried me there, just in time as well, because when I stepped into the bay, I saw Jim and Bones just walking out. I didn't care if Bones was wet, or smelled like ocean water, all that mattered was he was alright. I threw myself at Bones, holding him tightly to me. I never wanted to let go. Bones hugged me back as well. Until Scotty cleared his throat at us.

“I'd hate to break the moment,” Scotty said through his thick Scottish accent, while pointing towards the door. “Yet, the Captain is wanting us on the bridge.”

Bones and I pulled away from each other, nodding. I totally missed out on whatever Scotty and Jim said to each other, but it probably was things I already knew. Bones and I followed after them, heading up to the bridge, and as soon as we arrived Chekov's voice rang through, announcing that Jim was back and ready to give orders.

“Lieutenant, do we have a channel open to Mr.Spock?” Jim asked Uhura as soon as we stepped onto the bridge. “Any channel, however limited.”

“Extreme heat distortion is interfering with his equipment, but we've still got contact. I'll push it as much as we have to.” Uhura said, her voice slightly cracking in some areas.

“Spock...Report!” Jim said, waiting for any kind of reply from Spock.

“ _I have activated the device, Captain._ ” Spock replied, yet his communication was really horrible, but we could all still hear him. “ _When the countdown is complete, the consequent geochemical reaction should render the volcano inert, thereby eliminating the volatile tectonic trigger that our calculations indicated would set off catastrophic seismic disturbances throughout the crush of Nibiru._ ”

“Yeah, and that's gonna render him inert,” Bones added in tersely. I looked to Bones, giving him my best pissed off look, but I had to much worry embedded into my face from the past hour that it came off like I was about to cry.

“Can we use the transporter to him out at all?” I asked, looking away from Bones.

“Negative, Jade,” Sulu said, shaking his head from his station. “No more than we could use them from the start, when it was decided to carry out the operation utilizing one of our shuttlecraft. The unstable nature of the magnetic and other fields within the throat of the volcano are such that the usual immutable transporter reach and positioning systematics could be knocked off by as much as several millimetres- which, of course, would be fatal to anyone traveling via beam. I regret to say that the situation has not changed. If anything, it has grown worse.”

Of course though, Chekov just had to made the situation that much worst.

“A Mr.Spock retrieved several millimetres out of proper entanglement would not be a Mr.Spock as we know him, Keptin. Or likely one who would appear alive.” Chekov said, looking at all of us.

“There has to be a work-around, Mr.Chekov,” Jim said, trying to think. “Something we can do to make it function effectively. We need to beam Spock back onto the ship. If there's no perfect way to do it, then give me the next best way.”

Even though Chekov was the youngest of everyone in the crew aboard the Enterprise, he sure did like a challenge- he just didn't like it if it meant risking one of his shipmates.

“Maybe if we could manage a direct line of sight?” Chekov suggested. “One as close as possible. If we could get right above him, the interference would not be eliminated- but it would be greatly minimized. There's no guarantee it would work, Keptin, but it's the best option I can think of.” 

I was about to agree to it. Jump aboard the plan to save Spock, unless Scotty hadn't chosen to speak up at that moment.

“Hold position above an active supervolcano on the verge of a cataclysmic explosion?” Scotty asked in disbelief. “Sir, this ship is designed to hold a position in interstellar space, or in orbit. It was not built to cope with radical in-atmospheric distortions. She maneuvers better at warp speed than on thruster power.”

“Seems to be doing okay right now, Mr.Scott.” Jim said, smiling thinly at Scotty.

“Because the surroundin' atmosphere is relatively stable, sir.” Scotty said back, gesturing with his hands. “I am willing to predict that if we are hoverin' above the volcano and it blows, conditions will be more than slightly altered- and not for the better.”

“I believe Mr. Scott is correct, sir,” Sulu said, without looking up. “If we were to be caught in a sufficiently violent eruption, I don't think I could maintain altitude. Especially taking into account how close we would be to the surface. There would be essentially no room in which to attempt emergency maneuvering.”

“ _This is unacceptable, Mr. Chekov,_ ” Spock said. “ _In the course of our approach, the shuttle we employed was concealed within the ash cloud and subsequently within the volcano itself, but the Enterprise is too large to employ such methods. If utilized in a rescue effort, it would invariably be revealed to the indigenous species._ ”

“More referencing of the Prime Directive,” Bones muttered next to me. “To hell with the Prime Directive.”

“Spock,” I said, taking on a slight Vulcan mind set. “We know you know the rules better than anyone. There's gotta be an exception, a way-” 

“ _There are none, Jade,_ ” Spock cut me off. “ _Not in this instance. Revealing the superior technology represented by the Enterprise would constitute an action that unequivocally violates the Prime Directive._ ”

“To hell with the Prime Directive.” I said, my eyes glowing it's neon green color because I was stressing out.

“ _The rule cannot be broke under any circumsttssssss......_ ” Spock's comm cut out, leaving us all silent there. \

“Spock?” Jim asked, before whirling around to address Uhura. “Try to get him back online.”

Uhura didn't need to be told twice as she sat at her station and began working quickly to get her boyfriend back online as well as my cousin and Jim's first officer. If this happened, who knew what Starfleet would do to us.

“Ninety seconds until detonation, sir.” Chekov reminded us.

Jim was staring somewhere beyond the screen in front of everyone before he spoke. “If Spock was here, and I was down there, what would he do?”

Jim looked to Uhura would had a deep anguished expression, yet she couldn't speak of what she wanted Jim to do, she after all was a Starfleet Officer, just like the rest of them aboard this ship. In the end, it was Bones who address the question with what he knew would happen.

“He'd let you die,” Bones said bluntly, without even giving it a second thought.

My voice caught in my throat knowing that was going to be the answer all along. Spock would have left Jim there for dead without a second thought about anyone or anything. It was how Spock was. Spock played by the rules, and he wasn't going to break for no one, not enough for Jim.

“Sulu,” I said, my voice strain. “Go. Let's go and get Spock back. To hell with the Prime Directive.” 

Sulu looked to me, before looking to Uhura who nodded, then to Jim who was looking to me, and he grinned.

“To hell with the Prime Directive.” Jim agreed, before heading towards the transporter room, Bones following right after him.

I looked to Sulu, who nodded his head. I smiled before rushing off after Jim and Bones. I had to see Spock. He was my family. And to see him alive would bring me joy.

I arrived only seconds after Jim and Bones did. I took a stand next to Bones, taking his hand in mind lightly while seeing Spock all there, his suit still bright red, too hot to embrace at the moment.

“Spock- you all right?” Jim asked, his gaze full of worry.

“Captain, you let them see our ship.” Spock said, his tone was disbelieving.

“He's fine,” Bones said, giving my hand a squeeze to show how annoyed he actually was with Spock right now.

“Good to have you back.” Jim said, he would have continued if we weren't interrupted by the speakers.

“ _Bridge to Captain Kirk,_ ”

“Yes, Lieutenant?” Jim replied.

“ _Monitors indicate transporter function is complete. Is..._ ” Uhura's voice said through the speakers, sounding nervous. “ _Commander Spock on board, sir?_ ”

“Safely and soundly,” Jim reported, then added. “The commander's principal concern of the moment is not for him, but for the possibility that our ship may have been observed by the natives.”

“'Observed,' indeed,” Chekov murmured to no one in particular. “We passed right over a bunch of them.”

“ _Please notify Commander Spock that his device has successfully detonated._ ” Uhura said, before cutting off all communication from the bridge. This was obviously indicating that Uhura was most likely upset at Spock.

“Congratulations, Spock,” Jim said, giving Spock a wide smile. “You just saved the world.”

“Captain. You violated the Prime Directive.” Spock said, still not getting over it.

“So they saw us.” Jim said, shrugging it off. “Big deal.”

Bones and I slipped away from the transporter room by now. Walking hand in hand down the hall to the turbo lift to take us up to the sleeping rooms for medical staff. Once arriving at our doors, we both stood in the wall away, giving each other small talk before retreating to our rooms with Bones giving me a good night kiss upon my forehead.

I leaned against the wall of my room, not giving anything a second thought as I touch my forehead. I was never going to get use to Bones treating me like this. But I loved it. It was life to me. 


	2. Characters so far-

Cheyenne Taylor Jade  
Born: January 4th, 2233  
Rank: Lieutenant  
Father: Tyler Matthew Jade (deceased)  
Mother: Alison Elizabeth Jade (deceased)  
Winona Kirk (adoptive mother)  
Marital Status: In Relationship (McCoy)

Leonard H. "Bones" McCoy  
Born: 2227  
Rank Lieutenant Commander  
Father: David McCoy  
Marital Status: Divorced (past)  
In Relationship (Jade)   
Child(ren): Joanna McCoy

James Tiberius Kirk  
Born: January 4th, 2233  
Rank: Captain  
Father: George Kirk (deceased)  
A step father  
Mother: Winona Kirk  
Marital Status: Single

Spock  
Born: 2230  
Rank: Commander  
Father: Sarek  
Mother: Amanda Grayson (deceased)   
Sibling(s): Sybok (half brother)  
Marital Status: In Relationship (Uhura)

Nyota Uhura  
Born: unknown  
Rank: Lieutenant  
Marital Status: In Relationship (Spock)

Montgomery "Scotty" Scott  
Born: 2222  
Rank: Lieutenant Commander  
Marital Status: Single

Pavel Andreievich Chekov  
Born: 2241  
Rank: Ensign  
Father: Anderi Chekov  
Marital Status: Single

Hikaru Sulu  
Born: unknown  
Rank: Lieutenant  
Marital Status: Single


	3. Personal Problem

-San Francisco-

I awoke to the sun heating up my back as I laid on my stomach upon the bed. My eyes were heavy, and I could smell heavy Southern man musk next to me, only meaning that Bones was once again in my bed. The day we arrived back to Earth, we all decided to go out drinking. A way to celebrate a job well done. I remember having to drag Bones home after him drinking too much, as well as trying to get Jim home in one piece. I managed luckily.

After we've moved from the dorms on the campus, we decided that we would get apartments in the city, not to far away from headquarters. Jim got his own apartment, then he could being all the girls home that he wanted so Bones and I could have a peaceful relationship. The apartment Bones and I moved into had two bedrooms, one for me, and one for Bones. Even though we were together, we didn't want to rush things too quickly. So usually we slept in our own rooms, sometimes sharing a bed if we thought it would be a good time for that. If we were sleeping on our own, we either would bump into each other during the night for a glass of water, maybe to go to the bathroom, sometimes even if one of us were returning late from work.

Last night though. Last night was one of those rare occasions that happened. It was a night filled with getting comfortable with each other as well as accepting our own selves for who were actually were. At least this time, I didn't hurt Bones as much as I usually did.

Sex. Fucking. Intercourse. Whatever you wanted to call it. For Bones and I. It was a challenge. It had been for the past few months. We've tried, but with my abilities, it's difficult for Bones to get inside even. As the slightest bit of pain, my body kicks into defensive mode, causing my abilities to hurt Bones. Last night, we got somewhat further, but not much since my abilities got in the way again, causing Bones to become numb waist down. I felt bad. I truly did.

I didn't know anyone else to talk to about this. If I told Jim, he would never let Bones and I live it down. If I tried to talk to Spock about it, it would be awkward. You just don't tell your cousin these things. If I even tried to talk to Uhura about it, I most likely would get an ear full about it all. There was no one I knew I could really talk about it with. I mean, I could talk with Pike. He was my fatherly figure in my life, yet the topic of sex didn't sit well with him once Bones went up to Pike one day and asked for permission to do the nasty with me. Pike was pretty over-protective of me and Jim, we were like his own children. He was really skittish in the beginning of my relationship with Bones. He's grown use to it, but I think he dropped back down to skittish again because of Bones. He'll come back to it once he gets somewhat use to the idea, and the mental image out of his head of us going at it.

I sat up in bed, leaning over the bed and grabbing a hold of Leonard's shirt, slipping it on my nude body before I silently snuck out of his room and returning to mine. I sat upon my bed, looking outside to San Francisco. We had a nice view of the Golden Gate Bridge from my room as well as the living room. I knew, just a little further over that bridge was the Starfleet headquarters.

I sighed before laying down on my bed. I closed my eyes, tears wanting to flow out. It was bugging me to no end. I kept hurting Bones during intercourse, which wasn't fair to him. He wasn't the one who was a virgin. I was. And because of the pain of being a virgin and going at it for the first time, my abilities kick in when I'm in pain. I have no way of controlling them when I'm so lost in pleasure that I can't seem to remember that my abilities will kick in.

I wanted to scream right now, but I didn't want to wake Bones from his slumber. So I got up again, taking off Bones' shirt and grabbed a fresh pair of clothes before going into my bathroom and took a shower. I needed to relax. I was stressing over something that was bound to happen. Yet it wasn't meant to happen. I thought I had my abilities all under control. But apparently not.

I groaned into the mostly silent bathroom, while the water ran down my back, washing away most of the stress from my muscles. I knew this was going to last long either. I knew as soon as I saw Bones, I was going to walk around with a sulk, grim face because I felt guilty.

A sound came from my room, causing me to step from the shower, grabbing a towel. I wrapped myself up before heading back into my room and heard my Comm going off. I picked up and replied.

“Lieutenant Jade,” I said, holding the towel closer to my wet body.

“ _Lieutenant, it's Pike._ ” was the reply I was given.

“Sir, it's nice to hear from you.” I said, relaxing for a moment and forgetting about my personal worries. “What can I help you with?”

“ _I'm calling you in with Kirk and Spock,_ ” Pike answered quickly. “ _I would like a verbal report from you three. In an hour._ ”

“I can do that, sir,” I said, nodding my head.

“ _Okay, dismiss,_ ” Pike said, before cutting his comm.

I closed my comm, before rushing back into the bathroom to clean up and get ready for whatever Pike was going to throw at us. Yet, deep in my stomach, I could feel that the out come for this verbal report was going to have a horrible ending to it. 


	4. Reassigned

I walked next to Spock and Jim in our grey uniforms. Everyone we passed gave us admiring stares. Jim, he was of course taking it, making it seem like he was the most important person in the world. Spock, him on the other hand was just ignoring the stares and continued on with his day. For me, I just felt even more pressure than I had when I awoke this morning.

“This is it,” Jim said confidently, a skip in his step. “I can feel it.”

“Your 'feeling' aside,” Spock responded sardonically. “I consider highly unlikely that we will be selected for the new program.”

“How could we not be selected?” I asked under my breath. “I mean, we're young, fresh, we have more energy than anyone in the fleet.”

Spock shot me a look that literally yelled 'DO NOT ENCOURAGE HIM'. I sighed for maybe the hundredth time that morning. Of course. Do not let the medical officer speak.

“Why else would Pike want to see us?” Jim asked, feigning hurt while looking at Spock. “Forget about seniority- this isn't about procedure. It all adds up. Consider: They gave us the newest ship in the fleet. Who else are they gonna send out? Who's better prepared or better equipped?”

I made a gestured towards Spock telling 'See? He has a point.' Only Spock just completely ignored me.

“I can think of numerous possibilities.” Spock said without hesitation.

“A five year mission. Five years!” Jim said, excitedly. “Just think what that would be like. No proscribed patrol responsibilities, no spending months and months on standard maneuvers. Five years doing nothing but exploring deep space. An extended mission devoted to science and discovery. We could really get out there.” Then he lowered his voice a little bit, as well as his gaze. “As a science officer, as well as one of our medical officers, I can't imagine anything that would be more appealing to both of you.”

“In that opinion, I most heartily concur.” Spock said, and it actually looked like he was considering the thought.

“I mean, I would be up to it.” I said, rubbing the back of my neck, smiling to myself. “Maybe we can find the cure of sicknesses that have appeared in the last few years, as well as maybe actually finding a safer means of curing cancer.. Or a better way of healing wounds so scars wouldn't be left.”

“However,” Spock said, once I finished. There is always a 'However..' with Spock. Vulcan logic. “I estimate the odds of our being chosen for the project at less than three-point-two percent.”

Jim only shook his head in wonder where Spock was pulling out all these numbers from. “So you're saying that our odds of being chosen are more than three-point-two percent?”

“Obviously,” Spock said, as Jim's sarcasm was wasted.

“Spock, where do you even get these numbers?” I asked, groaning under my breath. “Could you maybe at least try to not use Vulcan logic? Wait, don't even bother answering that.”

I quickly walked ahead of both of them. Not wanting to be apart of this conversation anymore. At this moment, I wanted to go home and relax.

 

“Uneventful.” was the first words that left Pike's mouth once we were all in his office.

“Admiral? Sir?” Jim asked, not quiet hearing what Pike said.

“That's how you described,” Pike said, looking now at his PADD. “In your captain's log, your survey of the world its inhabitants call Nibiru. Uneventful.”

Standing in between Jim and Spock, and I could see the locks on each other their faces if I were to look around me. Why I was here, was beyond me, but for whatever reason, I was going to accept it. Even though I was wonder why Pike didn't call in Bones, after all, Bones was the Senior Medical Officer.

“You know me, sir.” Jim spoke, his face straight, and with respect. “I like my reports to be concise. Senior officers are confronted with so much information these days that I'd be the last to overload a captain's log with excessive detail. I didn't want to waste anyone's time going over-”

Pike interrupted Jim, which usually didn't happen often.

“That's all right, Captain.” He said, and there was an edge in Pike's voice that I caught onto. “I'm not put off by detail. Some of it proves to be quiet interesting, in face,” He used his finger to follow a sentence on this PADD. “Take the report's subsection on planetary geology, for example. Tell me more about this supervolcano. Supervolcanoes are very interesting structures. According to the data, this one was situated directly above a conjoining of three continental plates, a unique geologic nexus that was further destabilized by a number of proximate major earthquakes faults. A very unstable tectonic situation; one might even say volatile. Sufficiently volatile, one could conclude, that if the volcano were to advance to a highly eruptive state, it might set off a series of quakes that in turn could severely jostle the relevant trio of continental plates. The resulting catastrophe could wipe out all life on that part of the planet. Certainly all higher life.” This caused Pike's eyes to narrow. That's when I knew for sure something wasn't going to end right. “If it were to erupt.”

“Let's hope it doesn't, sir,” Jim said, smiling understandingly.

Yet, Pike didn't smile back. “Something tells me if won't.”

“Well, sir,” Jim demurred. “'volatile' is a relative term. Far from scientifically specific. Anything is possible in such a situation. Maybe our data was off. We weren't at Nibiru long. Under such circumstances, a lot of data has to be gathered as quickly as possible and refined later. Information needs to be adjusted in light of additional study. Even data relating to a supervolcano that might at first glance appear to be on the verge of a violent eruption.”

Pike nodded slowly, pausing for long moment before even responding to what Kirk just said.

“Or-” He began, and this is when I knew, Spock filed a formal report. “Maybe it it won't erupt because Mr. Spock detonated a meticulously crafted and custom-designed counterthermal Rankine wave device inside right before a civilization that's barely discovered of the wheel happened to see a starship rising out of their oceans.” Pike's eyes shifted from Jim's over mind, giving me an apologize look before connecting with Spock's. “My apologies for the somewhat condensed summary of your report, but that is the way you describe it, it is it not?”

“You... filed a report?” Jim asked, looking at Spock with silent angry.

“Um, sir,” I said, my voice quiet. “Can I go? Or wait outside? I had nothing to do with this.. All I did was work which I filed a detail report on.”

“Yes, please, wait outside,” Pike said, waving me off.

I quickly left the office, standing outside, taking a deep breath. That feeling deep in my gut grew stronger. I knew Spock was going to file a report and speak only the truth about it to Pike. I knew this was going to be brought up to Admiral Marcus. Jim had broke the rules too many times, and this was most likely the last chance he had. Unless Pike could once again pull some strings.

I looked up, seeing Spock leave the office, then leaving without Jim. He didn't even look to me. He just headed out on his own. Bit my lip. Something was eating at me. I knew that this was only going to get worst. I took a deep breath. I've already had a pretty horrible day, and this whole thing was beginning to really get to me.

I heard the door open again, and Jim walked by. He was walking fast and I didn't even have time to catch his arm. He was already gone. Going in the opposite direction of Spock, leaving me there alone. I stood there, not hearing anything around me. A few minutes had passed before Pike genitally rested his hand upon my shoulder.

“Chey, please come into my office,” he said, in his voice this time, something was greatly setting him off.

I followed Pike into his office before standing in front of his desk. Pike sat down, shaking his head slowly before he finally looked me in the eyes, and they spoke to me. He felt guilty.

“Sir, what is it?” I asked, my eyes slightly widened. I was worried.

“Chey,” he began, before he took a deep breath. “Admiral Marcus thought it would be best if I delivered the news to you rather than himself.” He paused, which caused me to bite the inside of my cheek. “You're being reassigned. You're now the First Officer and Senior Chief Medical Officer of the USS Yorktown. You wouldn't be aboard the Enterprise anymore, either will be Spock or Jim. Spock is being reassigned to be the First Officer of Captain Abbott. Jim.. He lost the Enterprise..”

My voice caught in my throat. Without a second glance at Pike, I was already out the door in tears.

Jim lost the Enterprise. Spock and I were reassigned. I wasn't going to be with Bones anymore. I was barely going to see Bones at all now. And inside me, the sadness I felt went so deep. Who was going to take my place? What if it was another female and Bones fell for her instead? All because I felt physically hurting him. Because she could give Bones more than I could.

Let my feet take me to where ever. As long as it wasn't home or somewhere on Starfleet headquarters. 


	5. Shot Down

The way my body moved should have not been possible. Hues of blues, greens, pinks, and purples, danced around me as the loud music played in my ears. I was in a crowd of people, dancing alone while other grinded against each other that it was like they were already naked and having sex. My drink was high in the air, and I fought against my abilities long enough to allow myself to become drunk. Now, my abilities couldn't handle the large amount of alcohol in my system.

I couldn't stop myself. I was just letting myself free until a hand touched my shoulder, dragging me out of the crowd. I didn't even have time to find out who it was, until I was upon the floor, staring up to the ceiling in wonder. Yeah, I was wasted to saw the least, but I was beginning to sober up quite quickly.

“You really need to lay off the alcohol,”

I opened my eyes to Jim standing above me along with Pike. I just stayed there, not really wanted to answer. I was drunk and I was enjoying the feeling because I needed a way to forget everything that has ever happened and live in my own world. It was my way of escaping.

“Okay, time to get you up,” Pike said, getting to the other side of me, with Jim on the other.

Both Pike and Jim lifted me up off the group before dragging me out of the club that I stepped into. I had been there for the past 6 hours, from what I could remember at least. The news from Pike was over-whelming, I didn't even bother to find Bones, I just went to the first place I thought was a smart idea at the time. So, that was how I ended up at this club and now in the back of Pike's vehicle with Jim holding me up right. So, if I ended up puking I wouldn't kill myself.

 

We arrived back to Starfleet Headquarters, and I just groaned, holding my head. Hangover was already hitting me, and they were going to be bad for the next 15 minutes. My abilities are amazing, but sometimes, it was just a pain in the ass. Like rushing being drunk for a few hours for as long as I continued drinking. Yet as soon as I stopped, the hangover would kick in minutes later and it would be the worst. Jim as seen me in some pretty nasty moods, along with some pretty nasty fights.

Jim lead me to the bathroom, before handing me a grey uniform, before patting me on the back. I stood there, watching Jim leave before I turned, heading into the bathroom to change. When I looked at myself upon the mirror that hung in the bathroom, I wanted to shoot myself. I wasn't meant to be a First Officer, I was meant to be in Med Bay on the Enterprise with Bones enjoying my job. Yet now here is my new reality.

I headed out of the bathroom, dumping my clothes in the trash while heading towards the meeting room. I saw Spock and Jim ahead outside the door. I slowed down, until I came to a complete stop. I stood there, staring at the floor, wanting to cry again. This was my reality now, it was more like a nightmare, and I couldn't get away from it. A hand landing upon my shoulder brought me back to reality.

“Jade, right?” when my eyes made contact with Captain Delcourt.

“Um, yes, Madame,” I said, nodding. “I believe I am assigned as your First Officer now.”

“That you are,” she said, smiling to me.

I nodded my head before following after her, walking pass Spock and Jim to get into the meeting room. Captain Delcourt took a seat close to Pike, leading me to sit next to Pike, while Jim sat on the other side of Pike and Spock sat across from both of us. We sat there, waiting for Admiral Marcus to arrive and give us the run down of such an important meeting.

“Thank you for convening on such short notice.” Admiral Marcus said, looking around the table at all of us. “By now all of you have heard what happened in London. The target was a Starfleet 'data' archive. Now it's a damn hole in the ground and forty-two men and women are dead. One hour ago, I received a message from a Starfleet officer who confessed to carrying out this attack, and that he was being forced to do by this man.”

Admiral Marcus made a picture appear of a man to all of us. He looked while young, yet when looking in his eyes, he was old, and he held so much anger.

“Commander John Harrison,” Marcus began again, turning back to the rest of us. “And he was one of our own.” You could hear in Marcus' voice that he was trying hard not to express his emotions at this moment in front of all of us officers. “He is the man responsible for this act of savagery. For reasons unknown, John Harrison has just declared a one-man war against Starfleet.”

I looked at the images in front of us, looking at everything. Before looking to Jim, and began to let my eyes glow. He knew what that meant. We both reached behind Pike, making it to look really normal, until I gave Jim some of my abilities letting us link minds.

' _You're seeing this right_?' Jim thought to me, while looking at the images again.

' _You bet I am,_ ' I thought back, doing the same as well.

' _You do know, this guy screams danger._ ' Jim thought back.

' _No, really?_ ' I asked, looking at Jim with an 'are-you-kidding-me' look.

“Five minutes after the explosion in London,” Marcus said, making my ear perk up to listen for anymore information. “Harrison commandeered the jumpship that you see and made a run for it. Despite the confusion attendant upon the destruction, security was able to locate him only moments after his departure. We had him on our scanners until he enter orbit, then-”

“Any idea where he might be headed, sir?” an officer inquired.

|The natural assumption is that he's not operating alone.” Marcus said, shaking his head. “You area ll aware that there are numerous entities human and otherwise who would be delighted to see Starfleet's operational capabilities impaired. Whether Harrison is doing this for reasons of his own or the behalf of as-yet-unknown forces, we have no way of knowing. Until individually eliminated, all possibilities must be considered. Bearing that in mind, under no circumstances are we allow this man to escape Federation space.”

Harrison's face changed to an immediate stellar vicinity, aka EARTH.

“You here tonight represent the senior command of all the Starfleet vessels in the region, whether for R&R, refurbishment, or other reasons. As of now, your ships are recalled to full active duty.” Marcus said, looking every single one of us in the eye, causing me to be a little nervous in my seat. “Those whose cress are presently aground will recall them immediately, and in the man of those we lost, you will run this bastard down. This is a manhunt, pure and simple, on a scale and of an importance unmatched in recent Starfleet history. So let's get to work. Captain Ford, you'll stand off and monitor Quadrant 11C. Captain Delcourt, Yorktown- you'll take Quadrant 12D. Captain Evans, Vasquez- you'll take...”

' _Hey, take a look at the bags,_ ' Jim thought to me, while he zoomed in on a photo.

I did the same as well, and looked at the bags, before thinking back. ' _Wonder what's in it.._ '

We both looked at each other, trying to think of something, until Pike slightly kicked at our legs underneath the table, causing us both to jump at the same time. This caught Marcus' attention of course.

“Chris? Everything okay over there?” he questioned, causing ever single person in the whole room to look at us.

“Yes, sir,” Pike responded. “Mr. Kirk is just acclimating himself to his new position as my first officer. And I think Jade is doing the same.”

Yet, it wasn't even enough for Marcus. “You got something to say, Kirk, Jade, say it. Tomorrow's too late.”

I swallowed at the same time as Jim did. “It's fine, sir. Our apologies for the interruption. We were thinking out loud.”

“No loud enough, Jade. I didn't hear both of you. Last chance to get your thoughts out with the rest of us. Spit it out. Don't be shy. If you both have something worthwhile to say, then say it. Speak up.”

The other officers seemed interested in what we had to say. They wanted to listen to the newly demoted captain and the new promoted first officer/chief medical officer had to say about a complex situation that was painfully devoid of facts.

“I was just wondering,” Jim began, slowly sneaking a look at me. “Why the archive? All that information is public record. If he really wanted to damage Starfleet, this could just be the beginning.”

“The beginning of what, Kirk?” Marcus asked, wanting more information.

“I'll take over for what Kirk is getting at, sir,” I began, causing the eyes to turn towards me. “The real question is what was in the bags he's carrying. He obviously came prepared for the consequences of his actions. What really puzzled us is, if he went to all the trouble of somehow convincing someone else to do the bombing _for_ him, and if the bombing is then traceable back to him- which it obviously is, since you just told us as much- why would he be anywhere near London when the event occurred, much less on a Starfleet base, where his presence could be recorded? Couldn't he just as easily monitor its progress and 'success' from, say, Cape Town or Ushuaia, and then manage his get away from there?”

Marcus didn't hesitate. “Maybe he suffers from an overriding urge to observe his handiwork in person. Maybe it's because he's a psychopath. Maybe it's because he-”

“If I might interject, Admiral...”

Attention of everyone swung to the only other person we knew personally in that room that sat between Jim, I and Marcus. He was also the only Vulcan in the room sadly at the moment as well.

“Mr. Spock, first officers speak when spoken to, especially during a conference that is charged with-” Spock's new Captain began only to have Marcus to gesture it off impatiently.

“It's all right, Captain Abbott. Let him speak.” Marcus' tone was dry. “I'll resume when _everyone else_ has had their say.”

Didn't matter to Spock if Admiral Marcus displayed a fine example of human sarcasm, but it didn't stop Spock from continuing.

“It is curious that Harrison would commandeer a jumpship with no warp capability if his intention was to escape. Presuming the latter, one would expect him to try to reach a transporter-equipped orbiting station. I would think our efforts to interdict him would be better focused here rather than farther out, no matter whom he might count as possible allies. Unless, of course, his immediate intention is _not_ to escape.” Spock's gaze opening which to Jim and I, causing an knowing looked at us to continue at what he was getting at.

“Sir,” Jim said, quickly to Marcus. “In the event of a terrestrial-base attack of the magnitude of the one London has just suffered, protocol mandates that if possible, senior command gather all available captains and first officers at Starfleet headquarters so that subsequent directives can be discussed and delivered in person. Right _here._ Right now. I'm of course familiar with security procedures for Starfleet in general, but at this moment I'm especially concerned about his one particular conference room.” Jim's eyes did a sweep of the room around them. When Jim was like this, there were reasons to start worrying. My abilities activated slowly, while my senses came red alert. “Is this area secure?”

Admiral Marcus' communicator beeped for his attention. As Marcus reached for it, he nodded reassuringly at Kirk. “I'm well ahead of you. Standard perimeter automatics are on high alert and patrols with live personnel have been activated.” He then addressed his communicator. “This is Marcus.”

Captain Abbott leaned towards Jim and I, interested by what we were saying. “So let's say that you're right and this renegade doesn't try to get off-world. Let's say that's just what he wants us to think he's going to do. But why? Why would he engage in an elaborate misdirection like that...?” His eyes widen slightly. “You're suggesting this Harrison _wants_ all of us here? While he's still on Earth?”

I nodded vigorously. “Yes, sir, all of us, right here, right now.”

“Jade, Kirk, you heard the admiral. We're completely secure here. Just because Harrison somehow managed to pull off one monstrous act of sabotage doesn't mean he'd be foolish enough to try and build on that by-”

“And this happened when...?” Marcus asked into his communicator right has Captain Abbott was finishing his thought that raised alarms in my head by ten-fold.

A whine, high-pitched and rising. Before it could be identified, it was accented by a blinding refulgence that flooded the conference room. Jim and I both got to our feet quickly, taking a couple of steps towards the window that comprised one wall.

Seconds later, we both whirled and yelled:

“ _Clear the room!_ ”


	6. Silent

The room around us disintegrated piecemeal, one violent explosion following close upon with another. Jim picked me up by the waist before throwing me over the table before himself, flattening us against the floor. On the other side of the room, I noticed Pike speaking rapidly into his communicator. I could barely make it out but it was to sound an alert and call for help.

Cadre of Security Officers came pouring into the room. Firing from through gaps in the damaged walls at the jumpship hovering outside. This gave others to leave the room, before the ship came back into firing range, making quick work for the Officers. Kirk made sure to keep me out of gun fire, while picking up a pulse rifle that had fallen from one of the dead Security Officers. He ran across the corridor rather than the elevator. I was already to my feet on my own mission, I needed to help Pike in some way, but I had to find him first.

Shoving passed people, making sure they got away from the danger as well, I was in search for Pike. I was getting shot at, yet I was missed by each shot. A loud explosion caught my ears, yet I was searching still, until I saw Pike upon the ground, with Spock standing over them. I rushed quickly over to Spock, noticing how wounded Pike was. I fell to my knees, and quickly began to heal Pike with everything I had.

I watched as Spock rested his hand upon Pike's face, and something snapped within my mind as I watched memories flashed before my eyes. The Vulcan Meld was affecting me while I forced myself to save Pike. Those memories were all of Pike's which amazed me. Yet as the final memory was about to play, I gave it my last bit to keep Pike alive that much longer, to give him a happy memory.

“Thank you...” I whispered, tears coming down my face, trying to smile. “Thank you for being the father Jim and I never had.. Please, just fix, just a little longer.. DAD PLEASE JUST LIVE!”

The last heart beat was given, and Pike gave a small smile for a second, and that memory played one last time before it cut out, and I became a sobbing mess over Pike's body. I heard so many foot steps behind me, and arms lift me from the floor, carrying me out of the room, even though I reached out to Pike. I was carried away from the room, taken outside and away from that place. Sobbed into Jim's shoulder, as I saw Spock following right behind us. Nothing else could compare to that moment, that heart ripping moment.

I've lost my father. I've lost a little bit of my sanity.

  
I stood outside with the rest of the Starfleet Officer's who survived the attack. I watched as they carried out Pike's dead body in front of us, tears still in my eyes. Jim stood next to me, along with Spock. I knew this affected Jim as much it affected me, but he was way better at hiding it.

Jim finally decided it was time to head back to his place. It was closer, as well as he knew that I needed to stay away from Bones for a while. This affected me a lot, specially if my abilities kept spiking up, almost shocking Jim and Spock when they almost rested their hands upon my skin.

Getting back to Jim's was hard, it kept all my strength to try and not go into a bar to get piss face drunk. I fell upon Jim's couch once we've arrived. The other two went to do their own things while I stared at the screen of the TV. I felt like nothing, like nothing could stop me from falling into the deep pit that I was already in. Now, I didn't seem like I could be saved, mentally at least.

 

That night was spent at Jim's. Uhura called. Bones called. Everyone on the Enterprise we were close to tried to contact us. Yet we never answered. Jim didn't sleep much, he had continuous nightmares through all hours. Spock slept in the guest bedroom, and he surprisingly managed to sleep. As for me, I was awake upon the couch, staring at the blank screen. Jim had been drinking coffee when his communicator when off.

“Yeah?” he answered towards the unit.

“Jim,” Scotty was saying, catching my attention as well as Jim's and Spock's. “I searched the wreckage of the jumpship. You're not gonna believe what I found. You've got ta come, right away.”

 

“D'you have any idea what we're dealin' with here, man?”

The mess around the building and the crew workers near the conference room pretty much showed like it was a slight accident towards the public, like there wasn't a huge fight for life last night. At the entrance of the building that was waiting for Jim, Spock, and I was Montgomery Scotty, who was cradling a piece of debris.

“Scotty,” Jim said, out of breath like me, but not Spock of course. “We got your message.” Jim slightly frown at the mangled lump of metal, metallic glass and synthetics. “Please tell me that you've got something that'll help us find who did this.”

“This was recovered from the crashed jumpship.” Scotty began, before turning to where the salvage team was still picking apart at the ship. “Nobody was quite sure what it might be, so images were flashed around. As soon as I saw it, I came down and requested possession. Close inspection confirms that I saw what I thought I saw... I think.”

I cocked my head to once side, slightly wrapping my head around this. “So what is it you saw that you say you think you saw? Something worth saying?”

“I'll say.” Scotty turned serious. “If I'm right, and I'd bet 'alf the contents of the best back bar in Aberdeen that I am, this is the remains of a portable transwarp beamin' device. No wonder the scrap iron boys cuttin' apart that mess o' a jumpship didn't recognize it!”

“You know what happened here?” Jim just stared a Scotty, waiting for some more answers.

“Makes no sense. Word is it might be some kind o' personal vendetta or somethin'.” Scotty responded, shrugging his shoulders.

“We'll learn the motivation when we find the perpetrator,” Kirk said, reaching out and tapped the ruined transporter. “Do you think there's enough math left in this thing's memory for you to trace where he went?”

“I already did, sir,” Scotty spoke, his voice unusually grim. “And you're not going to like it.”

I leaned around Jim's shoulder and almost wanted to throw up. I held onto Scotty's arm, my face feeling like it was being drained of color. Lack of sleep, and shock, they don't equal to a very healthy answer.

“And it's the one place we just can't go, sir,” Scotty said, shaking his head in disappointment.

 

We were given the 'okay' from Admiral Marcus, we made our plans to get John Harrison into our hands. I had a bone to pick with that bastard anyways. We were in the Starfleet Headquarters shuttle bay, and there were people from all over, getting things ready, even members of the Enterprise. I've been through everyone's records at least twice already since we've got our whole crew.

I walked in step beside Jim, wanting to get this mission started and get John Harrison into custody. I want him to pay for what he had done, killing innocent men and women.. Killing Pike. He killed them out of cold blood, why? We didn't know the answer.

A man, less impressed then Jim and I, fell into step on Jim's right side. In place of awe, admiration or just plain trepidation, the newcomer's face showed unrestrained annoyance. That face was one we both knew all too well.

“Jim. Chey. I waited and waited. Where the hell were you?”

“Waited? For what?” Jim responded to Bones' unconcealed irritation. Not even slowing his stride.

“For the going-away banquet Starfleet's female contingent prepared in you honor.” Bones replied with so much sarcasm while rolling his head. “For you per-departure medical exam- what'd you think? You didn't show up.” He didn't try to hide his dismay. “Both of you, ten hours ago were in a damn firefight. Subsequent to which you were never checked out. Now you're resuming command of the Enterprise without so much as having your blood pressure taken. What kind of ship's doctor do you think I am? It's my duty to-”

“Bones, we're fine,” I cut him off, look around Jim.

Bones reached around, taking a hold of my arm, causing me to stop. Jim stopped as well, looking over his shoulder towards us.

Bones voice lowered and was replaced with concern. “The hell you are.”

For a moment, my walls came down. I was about to hug Bones and cry into his shoulder until I closed my eyes. My instinctive cockiness that I learned from Jim came at full force as I shrugged indifferently.

“You wanna examine me? Us? Examine away. But not until we're under way.” I said, turning away from Bones with a heavy heart.

Bones sighed heavily. “And the point of giving you a check-up when we're already halfway to who knows where would be what?” I could tell his frustration threatened to boil over. “I may do it anyway, just to satisfy myself.”

“Satisfy yourself about what? Whether I'm crazy or not?” Jim questioned, cracking a grin.

“No, I already know the answer to that one.” he gestured.

“C'mon, move, Captain. You're holding up the queue.”

What a nod to an ensign, and with a word to another, Jim checked himself onto the shuttle, leaving Bones and I alone together. I quickly checked myself in, followed by Bones. I headed to the seat behind Jim. Bones sat next to me, before lightly placing his hand upon my knee. I peeked over at him, and saw him looking at me. I rested my head upon his shoulder while he began his check up upon Jim. Then something caught both Bones and I attentions.

“Wait a minute,” I said, shooting up in my seat, slightly climbing over Bones. “I was told this was a priority operation, I wasn't with you when you and Spock went to talk to Marcus. Yes, I knew we had to go to the Klingon home-world, but that was it.”

“As was I,” Bones agreed, sticking his head through the two seats. “Only knew it was a priority operation, I heard nothing on the lines of the Klingon home-world, or much less firing torpedoes at them.”

“No-technically, yes, but no.” Jim said, trying to figure out how to explain this. “Because we're actually- look, Chey, you know who we're after, you have an idea what's going on, place the pictures together. Bones, it'll be explained in detail once we're at warp and clear of Earth's system.” Jim looked angry at himself, but he knew that Bones needed some information on it. “Look, you yourself said the area's uninhabited. And there's only going to be one casualty. And in case you weren't listening, our orders have nothing to do with Starfleet regulations.”

This was when I leaned back in my chair and let everything get sorted out between Spock, Jim and Bones. I closed my eyes for not even a second. As soon as they opened, there stood a beautiful blond, blue-eyes newcomer, a woman to be exact. Trim and athletic, she smiled down at Jim.

“Captain Kirk? Science Officer Carol Wallace. I've been assigned to the Enterprise by Admiral Marcus.” she said, her voice sounding like a melody.

Jim was expected to respond once realizing, he kept his cool. “Isn't it a bit unusual, Wallace, for a senior ship's officer to be transferred aboard at essentially the last minute?”

“As you are aware, Captain, certain recent events have resulted in an atypical acceleration of asset application. It seems that I'm included.” she replied, that smile still on her face.

Something sounded odd when he made a sound deep from his throat. “You requested an additional science officer, Captain?”

“I wish I had.” Jim said, before looking over to the pilot. “I'm sure that's everyone for the Enterprise, Ensign. You can seal the door.”

The door was sealed, leaving us all there in the shuttle to be taken up to the Enterprise. Our baby, Jim would say.

Moving closer, the newcomer passed her tablet to him. Jim took it, skimming over it, looking at all the important information.

“Lieutenant Carol Wallace. Advanced doctorates in applied physics, astrophysics, materials science. Starfleet specialist in advance weapons systems.” Jim read out-loud, he seemed impressed.

“Impressive credentials,” Spock commented without rancor.

“Thank you,” she told him.

“Though redundant now that I am back aboard the Enterprise,” the Vulcan concluded.

Gesturing at the empty space next to Bones, Jim offered the new arrival a welcoming smile, while I almost blew up. “Have a seat, doctor,”

Carol sat down next to Bones, getting herself strapped in. She had some trouble, but before she could figure it out on his own, Bones leaned over and helped her. HE HELPED HER. I was having issues earlier, and he didn't help me? Like really? Asshole.. I noticed Jim looking at me from his seat, and I turned away, my ability activating. I felt a touch on my shoulder, then it suddenly pulled away when it touched my skin. I knew it was Bones, and I just shocked him. But I didn't want him to touch me with the hands he just touched HER with.

 

I stormed around the Enterprise, staying far clear of that bitch and Bones. I was angry, and my vitals could be seen from around a five feet radius. I left Med Bay in a hurry after that when Bones was about to do a check up on me, but I didn't want that at the moment, so I headed up to the bridge where I luckily found Nyota. I took a seat next to her, and rested my face in my hands.

“Spock told me you shocked Bones about ten times while on the shuttle,” She said, laughing a little. “Then hearing from Jim, that Spock had to hold you back from just about jumping upon Wallace to kill her.”

“I would have,” I said, speaking low. “But Spock just had to hold me back. Wallace is a bitch, she's been all coupling with Bones since she got on the shuttle. He even helped her without being asked. If I need help it takes me ten minutes to get him to help. Or I get no help at all.”

“Don't think too much of it.” She said, rubbing my back lightly. “He probably was just being helpful.”

“Yeah, helpful,” I groaned, I actually wanted to cry. Uhura stood up, taking a hold of my arm and pulling me to my feet.

“Okay, you're coming with me,” she said, dragging me off who knows where.

I followed next to Uhura for awhile, going to all different places, until we saw Jim walking ahead of us, so we ended up falling in place next to him.

“Captain, I'm sorry about Admiral Pike,” she spoke softly.

“Thank you for your concern, Lieutenant. We all are.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I'm fine, thank you, Lieutenant. Just a lot on my mind. The usual per-departure concerns.”

We all increased our pace then stepped into the turbolift. As the door closed Jim finally cracked, knowing he could talk to Uhura and I.

“Actually, Scotty just quit. As if that wasn't bad enough,” He began saying, watching the numbers on the little screen next to the door. “You boyfriend is second-guessing me every chance he gets.” He looked to us, then sufficiently abashed to add, “'m sorry, that was inappropriate. But he's so damn cold and removed and above it all. He's as affected as anyone else by what happens, but he doesn't bat an eye. Just occasionally raises a brow. Sometimes I just want to rip the bangs off his head. Sometimes I think our minds are exactly the same track, and then when I look around, I'm heading one way and he's going the other. I can't have a first officer who's always second-guessing me.”

“Isn't it his job?” I questioned, looking to Jim with a blank look. “Isn't the reason reason of a first officer is to second-guess you? If all he has to do is say 'yes' to every one of your decisions, you don't need an intelligent second-in-command for that. A small machine with an endlessly repeating verbal loop will work just as well and won't argue with you.”

“That's not what I mean,” he snapped. “What I mean is- oh hell, maybe it's not Spock at all. Maybe it's me. I'm still new at this. I mean, I doubt it's me, but maybe it's me.”

“As long as it doesn't affect your usual unshakeable confidence.” Jim didn't respond to Uhura's gentle dig, until she added tiredly. “It's not you.” 

“It's not?” the tone in her voice moved him, causing to have him think for someone other than himself. “Wait-are you guys in a fight?”

Changing her attention to the wall beside her. “I'd rather not talk about it.”

“Do you guys fight? How does that work?” He asked, totally confused just like me. “Do you take a swing at him and he responds with five minutes of logical disquisition on why your primitive physical reaction was irrational and unproductive? Or do-?”

Before he could even finish, the doors opened onto the Med Bay level, revealing no other than the first officer of the Enterprise.

I stepped around Spock to get off, might as well since I had to do checks with Bones anyways. Yet as I was walking away, I could hear Jim said pleasantly, “Ears burning?”

 

“ _Attention, crew of the Enterprise. This is the captain speaking. As most of you know by now, thought official channels or otherwise, Christopher Pike, the former captain of this ship and our friend, is dead. The man who killed him has fled our system and is hiding on the Klingon home-world- somewhere he believes we are unwilling to go. We're on our way there now. Per Admiral Marcus, it is essential that our presence go undetected, tensions between the Federation and the Klingon Empire have been high from the time of first contact and have in no way subsided since. Any direct provocation could lead to all-out war. Each of us should strive to see that does not happen. We will carry out our mission in secret and as swiftly as possible, before our presence can be noted and our ship identified. The are our orders. All right. Let's go get this son of a bitch.”_

I looked above after checking off the last thing on my list, smiling a little until Bones decided at this time would be a great idea to add in a side comment to Jim's little speech.

“Great,” he grumbled to no one in particular, even with me right next to him. “I'm told Qo'noS is delightful this time of year. And the Klingons are famous for their hospitality.”

I leaned over, kissing his shoulder softly before making eye contact with a sarcastic smile sketched onto my face. “At least the Klingons will get along with you just greatly. You both have famous hospitality after all.”

“Smartass...” he mumbled, going back to his job.

“You love it.” I replied, giving him a little shock. 


	7. John Harrison

I slammed my head against the wall suddenly in the Med Bay, before reaching over to the intercom to get a hold of Jim or Chekhov, because apparently Jim place him there rather than someone who knew what they were doing. But as well, Chekhov had been following Scotty around a lot and has been learning from Scotty as well, so it was probably better to have Chekhov down there than some random red shirt that Scotty didn't like that much.

“Jim., Chekhov, what the hell!” I spoke, holding my head in my hand. “What happened?”

“Chekhov has no idea,” Jim responded. “But could you kindly get up here, I really don't want your boyfriend stressing Sulu out.”

“I'll be up in a minute,” I said, rushing out of Med Bay, before realizing something. “HOLD ON!”

I rushed to the closest intercom as possible before hailing Jim again for everyone to hear, which I didn't care about at the moment with.

“ARE YOU NUTS??” I practically screamed. “DO YOU ACTUALLY PLAN TO GO DOWN THERE? YOU'RE CRAZY! But that was already established. Yet still.. As Bones would say, you don't rob a bank when your getaway car has a flat tire.”

“I already got that one just seconds ago,” Jim responded, chuckling a little. “Now get up here before Bones throws Sulu out of the chair if he possibly messes up, and Engineering should have us patched up in no time. Right, Mr. Chekhov?”

“Uh...” Chekhov didn't sound so sure about himself at them moment, but decided to give a good answer. “yes, Keptin. I'll do my best.”

I groaned, debating to either go down to Engineering to help Chekhov or go up with Sulu and Bones. Probably Sulu and Bones, but the bitch might be up there. I headed towards the bridge. I did not trust Bones with that chick. She's beautiful, has a better chance of not physically hurting him during sex... I punched the wall that I walked passed, only to feel great pain in my hand.

I slowly looked down towards my hand, seeing it begin to bleed and swell. My abilities didn't activate. I looked to an intercom and asked for camera to give me something to look at, I almost screamed. My eyes weren't their natural green I've had since birth, they were suddenly my father's blue eyes. I shook my head for a second, closing my eyes, then looking again. I saw green eyes again, yet I felt pain still. I activated my ability, healing my hand before anything became permanent. I went into the turbolift, and stood there all the way up to the bridge.

I stepped off seconds later, going to Bones' side, looking down towards Sulu. I gave him a reassuring smiled before I was yanked away by Bones.

“Hey,” he whispered, making sure no one heard. “What's been up with you?”

“I'm fine,” I whispered back, looking down towards the ground. “I just got a lot on my mind..”

“I know Pike's death affected you,” he spoke, resting his hand upon my shoulder, using his other to lift my head to look at him. “I know there has to be more, but I need to know so I can help.”

“You're probably wondering why I was there during the firefight,” I responded, thinking about it. “I know you've been asking yourself that.”

“You know me so well,” He said, laughing a little. “So, please tell.”

“I was reassigned,” I said, looking at Bones in full truth. “USS Yorktown, First Officer and Chief Medical Officer. I only found out that night,”

“Then Jim got you back on the Enterprise,” He said, sighing from relief. “Thank god.. Worried me when I was reading my staff and your name didn't show. I thought I somehow managed to get you pregnant,”

I laughed a little, shaking my head. “I wish,”

“So, I have a feeling our sex life is what is bothering you as well,” he said, kissing the top of my head. “But we have to go through trial and error, and I was fully expecting it as well. If you feel pain or discomfort, of course your brain is going to go into defensive mood.”

“You would probably be better off with Carol...” I told him truthfully, without even thinking.

“What do you mean?” He asked, looking pretty confused by the out burst.

“She doesn't have my abilities, she's beautiful,” I said, shaking my head. “And on the shuttle up here, you helped her with her straps, I needed help so many times, and it takes me forever to get you to do them.”

“Cheyenne,” Bones spoke, his voice lowering and becoming deep. “I love you, only reason I helped her was because I whispered to her saying I'm already taken.” He kissed my cheek softly before looking into my eyes. “Don't feel threatened by Carol, she's nothing compared to you, plus Jim has his eyes on her.”

I smiled a little before lightly kissing Bones, only to be cut short by Sulu asking us kindly to come by his side. We went over, standing behind him off to the side, while watching Sulu's speech unfold.

“Attention, John Harrison. This is Captain Hikaru Sulu of the USS Enterprise. We are aware of your present location and in position to bear on it from a distance. A group of highly trained officers is on its way to your location. If you do not prepare and agree to surrender yourself to them immediately upon their arrival, I am instructed to unleash an entire payload of advanced, long-range, undetectable torpedoes that is currently locked on your location. I must inform you that we are prepared to do this despite any possible diplomatic fallout or other reaction from the Klingon community.” He paused for just a second, before his voice tightened, impressing me. “If you test me, you will fail.”

Bones peered down at him. “Mr. Sulu. Remind me never to piss you off.”

I scuffled a laugh from behind Bones.

 

Cold eyes connected with mine as I watched them go passed. I stood frozen like someone had paralysed me. A hand took me away from the sudden shock and over-whelming emotions that danced over my mind. I looked over my shoulder to make eye contact with Bones, who gave me a worried look before his eyes widening.

“You're eyes...” Bones softly mumbled.

“Are they blue?” I asked, looking towards a screen to see them blue again.

“When did this began?” he asked, looking over my shoulder.

“Very recently,” I said, closing my eyes and reopening them again causing them to return to their normal green color.

I looked back up at Bones, only to have him tightly wrap his arms around me. Something about his hugged worried me. Was he worried? What was currently going through his mind? He's obviously worried about me, but over what? If my eyes turning blue could mean me losing my abilities? Could all my wounds reopen and kill me? What if this means I'm dying? These thoughts never crossed my mind until now. I wrapped my arms around Bones, not wanting to let him go. I was now slowly becoming scared.

“Sorry to break up the moment,” Jim's voice was heard from the door way. “I need you both to come with me, bring medical tools for taking some of Harrison's blood.”

I looked back at Bones, pulling away and quickly getting everything that we need. I couldn't let this get to me right now, people's lives depend on it right now. I grabbed the tools before following out after Bones who was in step with Jim and Spock. We headed down to the cells which were on a floor below Med Bay. Why? Because we have to be nice sometimes to prisoners.

“You don't look good Jim,” Bones opined. “What's your concern?”

“I want you to run a full physio panel on our prisoner.” Jim ordered, looking straight ahead.

This took Bones off guard. “Why? Is he sick?”

“I don't know what he is, Bones, but I do know that he just took out an entire Klingon security team single-handedly.” Jim explained, trying to figure this out himself. “I want to know how-and don't tell me it's because he has a good shooting eye. There's something else going on here that's more than passing strange. I need you to help me substitute 'facts' for 'strange'.”

“Sounds like superman is on board.” I commented, falling into step next to Bones.

“You tell me.” Jim said, shaking his head before looking over to Spock. “It evident that unless one of those three patrol craft managed to get off a warning, the Klingons continue to remain unaware of our presence. We can't continue to rely on that. I don't want to push our luck any longer than necessary.”

Spock nodded in concurrence. “The sooner we depart this vicinity, the better, Captain. We have been fortunate not to have been detected by full planetary defenses thus far. Or it is possible orbital sensors have detected the Enterprise's signature, but in the crush of daily processing have not yet identified it. If that is the case, I would not count on our ability to remain anonymous for much longer.”

“Don't worry, Mr. Spock,” Jim assured him. “I have no intention of lingering here one nanosecond longer than we have to.”

We all entered the brig, and I almost felt like freezing in place when I saw John Harrison standing there calmly on the other side of the brig in his chamber. Bones stood next to be and took my hand, pulling me a little closer to him. Once closer to him, Bones looked over John Harrison closely.

“Excellent posture, well-developed lean musculature, but I see nothing remarkable,” Bones voiced, before picking up a hand held voider from a nearby table. He placed it against the barrier, causing the device to generate a slightly-larger-than-fist-side hole. Bones needed to the individual on the other side, indicating towards the circular opening he had just created. “Put your arm through the hole, please.” Harrison just stared back at Bones, he was obviously confused. Then Bones added, “I'm only going to take a small blood sample. Don't worry. It won't hurt.”

Harrison seemed to think about the before approaching the carrier and put his arm through the gap. Bones placed the extractor against one of several prominent veins. At first nothing happened, causing Bones to frown and push harder. Still nothing. The faintest smile appeared upon the prisoner's face. By that time, I shoved Bones out of the way, shoving the device down harder causing it to finally fill with red liquid. He didn't flinch, yet his attention was focused upon Jim.

“Why aren't we moving Captain?” Harrison asked. Jim chose not to reply or even to acknowledge the question, Harrison freely elaborated. “Allow me to guess. An unexpected malfunction? Perhaps something to do with the warp core, conveniently stranding your ship on the edge of Klingon space?”

Bones looked up from my work while we continued with our medical duty, he gaped at Harrison. “How the hell do you know th-”

“Bones.” Jim cut him off before Bones could finish with the thought he had. I finished with the withdraw of Harrison's blood, giving the extractor to Bones, nodding to Harrison, letting him pull back his hand. Once his fingers were back inside, the voider closed the hole between them. Harrison never bothered to look at where we withdrew the blood from, he just continued with his attention towards Jim.

“I think you'd find my insights valuable, Captain. Don't you want to hear what I have to say?”

Ignoring him, Kirk turned to Bones and I. “We good?” We both did a quick look towards the extractor and it's dark red contents before nodding. “Fine. Let me know what you find. As soon as you've got something.”

“Assuming there's anything out of the ordinary to be got,” Bones responded. Jim didn't hear of course, so Bones took me by my hand leading me away from Harrison. 


	8. Stick of Dynamite

“Are you out of your corn-fed mind?” Bones questioned, looking at Jim crazily.

Flanked by Spock, who hovered close, Leonard McCoy spoke as loud and as near to Jim as possible without risking a charge of infringing on a commanding officer's personal space. Even though Bones' face was flushed, Spock made no move to intervene, even when I was about strangle Jim, luckily Bones stopped me.

“You're not actually going to listen to this guy? He killed Pike, among numerous others,” Bones continued vociferously. “He almost killed you. He freaks my girlfriend out to no end. And now you think it might be a good idea to pop open a torpedo just because he essentially dared you to?”

I stood next to Bones, slightly in a raging fit in my spot. I was shaking, and my abilities were activated this time, so I would just knock Jim out and take command of the Enterprise until Jim came to his senses. Bones had his arms around me, making sure I wasn't going to do that. He knew I would do it if I had the perfect timing to do so.

“He also saved our lives. Mine, Spock's, Uhura's. There's no disputing that. He could have killed me, killed all of us, with ease. Instead, he surrendered. I think it's important to know the reason why.” Jim stated, while making other choices in his head.

Bones was not dissuaded. “That's what he wants you to think. Jim, someone like Harrison doesn't do things because they've suddenly experienced a change of heart. There's a reason behind everything they do, and it has nothing to do with a sudden penchant for philanthropy. If he save your lives, he did so because he saw something in it for him. Something that would help advance his agenda-whatever that might be.”

“Jim, Leonard's right,” I agreed, taking a deep breath, calming down greatly. “He's a killer. He'll do anything if it helps him in anyway, even if that means surrendering to us. It's too much of a risk with having him aboard. But taking tips from him, it's took much of an insane risk that he could kill everyone on this ship if we trust him enough.”

“Both of the doctors have a point,” Spock added softly.

Bones looked to Spock agitated, muttering: Don't agree with me, Spock. It makes me very uncomfortable.”

Jim swung around to face all three of us. “Scotty quit because of those torpedoes. He wouldn't stay on board without knowing what was inside them. I've decided that he was right, and not just because Harrison suggested it. We need to know.”

Bones straightened up, pulling me closer to him. “Jim. That man in the brig is a homicidal maniac who wants us to blow ourselves up! Maybe that's why those 'new' torpedoes are on board. So he could maneuver you into poking though their guts. Maybe if anyone tries to open one, it's set to protect itself by self-destructing. He's hooked you with a challenge, don't you see that?”

Jim spoke thoughtfully without looking up at Bones. “No. No, that's too obvious a ploy, and whatever else Harrison is, he's not obvious. He's demonstrated that already. I think there's another reason he wanted to be brought aboard the Enterprise. We need to find out what that is.”

“Maybe he wants to say all is forgiven so he can enlist.” His tone acidic. Bones was now beside himself. “

I think he's gotten under your skin- he could be stalling for some reason. That would explain this challenge of his for us to go to these unvisited coordinates. He could be working with the Klingons!”

“Perhaps you, too, should learn to govern your emotions a little, Doctor,” Spock broke in. “In this situation, logic dictates-”

“Logic!” Bones sputtered, while I held him back so he didn't hypo Spock. “My God, there's a maniac trying to make us blow up our own shop and you're-”

I decided, to hold onto Bones tightly before kissing his cheek every little place possible to keep him from blowing up in Jim's and Spock's face. Jim took a deep breath before speaking. “I don't know why he surrendered, but that's not it. We're gonna open one of the torpedoes. That's my decision. The question is, how.” Jim took another deep breath, relived that one problem was out of the way before continuing to something else. “What's the best way? The safest way?”

I left out a sigh, rubbing Bones back before speaking. “We heard about the story behind the weapons loading. We have no schematics, no diagrams, no operating files. Without Scotty on board, we have no one qualified to open up a newly designed four-ton bomb. Even with weapon specialists won't attempt a break-in without explanatory software-or Scotty's expertise.”

“If I may offer a thought, Captain?”

Jim eyed Spock. “Always, Mr. Spock.”

“It has come to my attention that the admiral's daughter also has an interest in the new torpedoes, and she is a weapons specialist. Perhaps she could be of some use.” Spock mentioned, causing us to all look at him completely confused.

“What?!” Jim stared at his first officer like he was crazy. “What admiral's daughter?”

“Please explain before Jim freaks..” I demanded, closing my eyes to keep myself from breaking something.

“Carol Marcus,” Spock explained blithely. “Your new science office concealed her true identity in order to be assigned to the Enterprise.”

Jim didn't make an attempt to conceal his bewilderment. “When were you going to tell me that?”

“When it became relevant,” a complacent Spock assured him. “As it just did.”

“SPOCK!” I yelled, launching myself towards him, only to have Bones holding me back before I knock Spock on his ass.

  
  
I almost went after Jim before he left with Spock to find Carol. He was planning to send Bones down there to disarm a bomb with Carol. He could die! But no, he doesn't take my feelings into consideration. I was in Med bay with Bones while I was madly crazy.

“Chey, calm down, nothing will happen,” Bones said, coming over and kissing my head. “I'll come back in one piece. I never plan on leaving you.”

“Thanks for the up lifting.” I said, looking up at him, yet I sighed. “I cannot help it. We don't know anything about these weapons, if it goes boom, we are all fucked.”

Bones shook his head, tilting my head up towards him. He looked me in the eyes before leaning forward. His lips lightly pressed against mine, waiting for my response. I kissed back slowly, pulling Bones closer to me. His arms slowly creased my body until he had a solid hold on my hips. Without a second thought, I was lifted up from the floor and placed on the edge of his desk.

The kissed started off with slow caution. We didn't wish to interrupted or caught by anyone. As it processed, passion came into play. Bones lightly nipped at my bottom lip, causing me to shake a little before letting him come in to fight for dominance. I leaned back, slowly, bring Bones down with me. I rested upon his desk, body spread out. One of his hands hooked upon my leg, lifting it to connect around his hip. His other hand glided up the shirt I wore, touching the skin underneath. I shivered at the feeling of closeness, yet I slowly become more aware to what was going on in me. I couldn't let this get too far, I didn't want to risk shocking him left all those times before. Yet deep down, something told me, it was going to be okay, just let it all out.

My own hands began to wander. They gripped at his hair at first before slowly disappearing underneath his shirt as well to feel the soft skin that was deeply missed. I dragged my nails across the abs that were there. Lightly nipping at his tongue during the heated moment.

Slowly, I began to remove Bones' shirt from his body. It wasn't a problem, we were alone in his office. We didn't know when he departures, but we would get the call, but now, it was about Bones and I. Pulling away slowly, I looked up to Bones. It wasn't for long before my eyes began to wonder downwards. His broad shoulders, his nice muscle structure that was perfect in my eyes. He had abs, but they weren't overly defined, you could see them, but it showed that he worked out the right amount or just a little under.

My eyes looked back up, connecting with Bones- No, Leonard. I could hear my own heartbeat in my ears by this point. I was growing nervous, and began to wonder. If I stop this down, this could be the last time. Yet if I continue, we could get interrupted by Jim or someone. This caused another thought to cross my mind. Was me becoming nervous before caused me to shock Leonard?

“Chey, you okay?” Leonard asked, his voice low, sounding like he should be in my dreams, not in reality.

“I'm fine, I just got lost in thought,” I replied truthfully, closing my eyes before re-opening them. “I'm just wondering about the two choices I have right now in front of me.”

“What are those?” he asked, leaning back a little to get a better look at me with those big blue eyes that I fell for since day one.

“If I stop this now, this could have been my final chance, and I'll never get it again.” I whispered, looking away. “Yet, if we continue, we could be interrupted by anyone. I don't want to stop, but I don't want to hurt you or scar someone for life. But if we do stop, I might lose you, and lost this chance.”

Leonard chuckled a little, kissing the top of my head lightly. “It's your choice, I'm just reminding you that there is no way you are losing me any time soon.”

I took his words into consideration. It didn't even take me even a minute to come to a conclusion, I was already in the act. I pulled Leonard back to me, keeping him closer than before. My other leg hooked around his waist, causing his pants to slide down a bit. A hand gripped lightly at the short strands of hair that was soft like feathers. The scent I took in every time I breathed in through my nose was like fresh air, and a stormy rainy day combined into one person. I couldn't think of anything else. All my thoughts were on Leonard.

His hands felt like heaven the way he creased my body. He was taking everything in as well. Just everything he could that my shirt didn't hide from him. He was done with it. He made quick work of the shirt, almost ripping it at the bottom while he fought to get it off of me. Now I was clad in my plain navy blue bra and my stupid pants and boots. This caused things to slow down on Leonard's end. I watched carefully as he watch his own hands touch the pale skin that was hidden from him for awhile now. Even with our attempts before now, the light was always off. His hand followed every curve and groove. Every imperfection that I had from scars. Once his hands rested at the top of my pants, Leonard's eyes found a way back to mine, asking me silently for permission.

I didn't even have to think, a simple nod to my head, and the pants were gone alone with my boots. Now all that clanged on my body was my navy blue bra and midnight black boy short underwear. Once again Leonard because touching my skin, looking over everything that he had never seen about me. I was slightly scared, because I suddenly had light on my skin, and Leonard could see everything, but it disappeared when he began to kiss every scar that was on my skin. I watched until I could really watch anymore with his face right in front of mine. Our lips connected again, starting a slow dance, giving me silent permission to do whatever I felt comfortable with.

My hands reached up, undoing the buttons of his pants, before slowly pulling them down with the help of my legs around his waist and himself. Once they were gone, boots included, that's when we decided to slowly heat things up, not wanting to go too fast.

Yet it was short lived by the annoying beep that sounded next to my ear, followed by Jim's annoying voice.

“Bones, suit up,” Jim ordered, sounding slightly confused. “You've got 30 minutes to get to shuttle bay and leave with Dr. Marcus. And if Chey's with you, please send her up to the bridge, that would be great.”

It was silent in the office, before we both straightened up and began the search for my clothing and Bones getting into the uniform he needed to wear for headed down with Dr. Marcus to look inside the stick of dynamite that could get them both killed, alone with everyone on the Enterprise.

Slipping on my shirt over my head, arms protectively circled around me, pulling me close to a well known body that I had just seen moments earlier. I leaned back into the arms, smiling to myself as I felt the light kiss on the head. I turned around before stepped back, and held out my hand.

Leonard took it before I lead him out of his office and out of Med Bay. We head to the Turbo lift, then stopped facing each other.

“I'll be back before you know it,” he said, smiling down at me.

“I bet you will,” I said, returning the smile. “Just come back in one piece .”

“I plan on it,” he said, leaning forward.

Our lips connected on final time before we both got into separate turbo lifts heading to places far away from each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the horrible attempt of sexy time


	9. Mistake...?

I stepped out of the turbo lift, and headed towards Jim's seat.

“Shuttle's almost in position, sir.” Sulu said from his station. “Preparing to touch down.”

Jim gave me a nod before taking a seat in his command chair, before looking ahead. “Any sign of activity from the Klingons? Any hint they've detected our presence here? Unusual ship movements, an indication that we've scanned?”

“No, Captain,” a helmsman replied. Jim looked over his shoulder towards someone behind him.

“Lieutenant Uhura: Any rise in local transmissions? Anything exceptional passing between Qo'noS and Praxis or the orbiting monitoring and defense stations.” Jim questioned, being serious.

Looking over to him, shaking her head. “Nothing, sir. No unusual communications either in nature or volume. Chat-wise, everything's normal in this system.”

Jim nodded with satisfaction, looking towards me. “I know you you want to know..”

“Then please finish with what you're doing.” I said, giving him a look of such annoyance.

“Mr. Sulu: No indication of curious patrol vessels in our vicinity?” Jim continued.

“No, sir. It's all quiet out to a safe distance and beyond. Should there be anyone looking for us here?” Sulu asked, looking at Jim.

Jim allowed himself a pleased smile. “Only if they find pieces of their colleagues lying around down on the surface and wonder what happened in Ketha Province with an off-world intervention, anyway. That's one thing we've got in our favor. Not only are Klingons noted for taking shots at other peoples, they're perfectly happy bashing up one another. Any local forensic follow up will logically first assume that there was an altercation among anyone finds anything or suspects anything that might point to an intrusion from off Qo'noS, we'll be well away from here.” He looked back to Communications. “Nice work putting together that relay so I could talk to Scotty, Lieutenant.”

“Thank you, Captain. It was a bit of a project, tight-beaming all the way from here back to Earth and directly to Mr. Scott's personal communicator. But you know what the ancient philosopher Clarke said. 'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.'” Uhura said, smiling at us.

Jim nodded. “We could use a little of Mr. Scott's own brand of magic right now. Still no response from Starfleet regarding our capture of Harrison.”

“No, sir. No response yet.”

Swinging back around in the command chair, Jim turned his attention to the pickup. “Mr. Chekov. Give me some good news.”

The sound of people busy down in Engineering was a good sign. “ _We've isolated the problem, sir, but there is some damage. We're working on it._ ”

Jim pondered. “Any idea what caused it in the first place?”

“ _No, sir. It's very odd._ ” The ensign sounded exhausted. “ _But I take full responsibility. A ship should not just drop our of warp like that._ ”

“Something tells me it wasn't your fault, Chekov. Stay on it, and notify me the minute repairs are completed. No matter what else may be happening at the time. We're still undetected, but we can't sit here forever. Sooner or later a manned or automated craft is going to check this particular small section of emptiness and be surprised to find something. I don't want to be a surprise.”

“ _Yes, sir. I'll let you know the instant that full warp drive capability has been restored._ ”

Sulu wasted no time passing alone his up-to-date message once Jim was finished with Chekov. “Shuttle is standing by, Captain. They're in position on the planetoid.”

“Any position's a good position so long as they weren't spotted.” Jim murmured. The forward view screen showed the shuttle's destination: a dusty, yellowish, uninhabited sphere. He keyed the chair's comm.

“Thanks for helping out, Bones. In lieu of Mr. Scotty, Dr. Marcus asked for the steadiest hands on the ship. I know you didn't want anything to do with those torpedoes, much less be involved in trying to open them.” Jim said, before letting out an 'ow' when I hit him on the back of the head.

“You could have sent me.” I said, my voice dropping a little, showing my anger.

“Bones wouldn't let me have you go,” he said, protecting his head with his hands.

“ _You know,_ ” Bones replied glumly, and sounded like he was picking up something, “ _When, I dreamt about being stuck on a deserted planet with a gorgeous woman, there was no torpedo involved, and another woman. It was more just my girlfriend and I, and us finally getting some alone time._ ”

“Dr. McCoy, may I remind you that you're not there to flirt through the comm with your girlfriend.” Jim said, sighing while holding his face in his hands.

“ _I know, I know,_ ” Bones said, laughing a little. “ _Chey are you up there?_ ”

“Of course I am,” I said, shaking my head. “Did you not hear me like 30 seconds ago.”

“ _I did, just wanted to make sure you were still there,_ ” he said, sounding a bit more happier. “ _We'll be communicating, and telling you all our every step._ ”

“This shall be interesting.” I said, my voice wavering a little bit.

“In order to understand how powerful these weapons are and what's so special about them,” Carol became to said, sounding busy. “We need to open the warhead. In order to do that, we need to access the drive compartment. Unfortunately for us, the warheads on these weapons are live. A lot of the talk was about the new drive system that renders the torpedo untrackable. So we go in that way, where they control system in supposed to be. However, since we have no way of knowing how our intrusion might affect the rest of the device, our first task is to disarm the warhead.” The way Carol said that to us, I began to bite my lip and grow really nervous. “Our research won't go anywhere if the device goes off while we're poking around its innards. Sure you can handle this, Dr. McCoy?”

I almost laughed at Bones' sudden memory flash back to that one time a while ago. “Doctor, I once performed an emergency C-Section- or more properly, a G-Section- on a pregnant Gorn. Don't ask about how I got talked into that one-”

“It was my fault,” I admitted sheepishly. “I didn't want the poor thing to die..”

“As I was saying..” Bones said, chuckling a little bit. “It's not a pretty story. Neither was the operation. Octuplets. All healthy: alive, kicking slowly- and biting.” You could hear his voice drop at the work biting. “Boy, can those things bite. I think I can handle your torpedo.”

“Bones,” I warned, shaking my head.

“ _Don't worry,_ ” He said, laughing a little. “ _Nothing sexual about the comment._ ”

“Better not.” I said.

“ _Right, then,_ ” Carol cut in before things could get anymore awkward for the entire crew. “ _Let us begin._ ”

We listened closely from our end everything that Carol was saying to Bones. I was growing nervous, zapping Jim a few times, until it suddenly stopped mid-zap, which we both didn't even comment to.

“ _There's a bundle of cables against the inner near casing._ ” She said, and sounding like she wasn't even paying attention to watch was going on at hand, like she was looking at something else, probably was. “ _You'll need to cut the twenty-third one down to eliminate contact between the internal controls and the detonator. I'll direct, you cut,_ ” She sounded so confident right now, jealousy popping me open like popcorn in a kettle. “ _Can't search-scan and cut at the same time; it's far too tricky and the internal instrumentation much too densely packed. Which is why I needed your help. Twenty-third wire,_ ” she repeated. “ _I'll guide you. Whatever you do, don't touch anything else. Do you understand?_ ”

“ _Thought never crossed my mind._ ” he replied tensely.

“It's crossed my mind too many times before Jim even thought of opening one of these,” I commented on the side, hearing a chuckle coming from Bones.

“Now, Chey, please do not distract the good doctor,” Jim said, hitting me a little on the hard side, but could be heard.

“ _Jim, I better not have heard you hit her,_ ” Bones warned, which caused Jim to lean back a little, he even was about to say something before he looked at me, noticing I was rubbing my arms and looking at the floor. That hit actually hurt pretty badly, made my arms go numb for sure.

“ _Dr. McCoy, this is no joke. Touch nothing else. Nothing. The last thing we want is an automatic signal rerouting via accidental physical contact while you're interdicting the original linkage. Wait for my word._ ”

There was silence again, leaving me standing there holding my own arm. I looked to Jim, luckily he wasn't looking at me. I knew what was up. My abilities randomly decided to shut down on their own. It was odd, but I couldn't fight against it. I stood there, making sure I didn't have anyone else see my eyes like this. I didn't want to make an up roar about being a shape shifter or something like that. If Bones was here, he would be able to explain to them.

“ _Cut nothing until I say,_ ” Carol's voice broke through, reminding him again. “I _'m rerouting as much of the internal programming as I'm able to access in the absence of the relevant coding._ ”

“ _I don't entirely understand what that signifies, but I'm ready._ ”

I almost groaned in frustration. Bones is meant in Med Bay for sure.

“ _Okay, good luck. Here we go. On 'one'. You ready?_ ”

“ _And raring'._ ” Bones sighed. He just wanted to be out of there, it was obvious.

“ _Three... Two... One..._ ”

The curt of a metallic sound was heard and the sound of Bones in pain, brought me to an upright position quickly, and I began looking around at everyone while something suddenly began to appear on everyone screens.

“ _What the hell just happened!?_ ” Bones asked, pain lacing in his voice.

“ _I-I don't..._ ” Carol was obvious confused as us.

“Sir, the torpedo just armed itself.”

“Warhead is set to detonate in sixty seconds, sir,”

“Why would it do that?” Sulu wonder aloud. “Why wouldn't it wait for appropriate final instructions? Torpedoes aren't equipped with self-destruct programming.”

My eyes frantically search for some good new, but none could be found, I was left standing there. I was beginning to shake, and I looked to the screen that was closest to me, and saw the timer count down.

“Lock onto their positions. Beam them back aboard. Right now.” Jim ordered, looking over to Spock.

“With his arm trapped inside it, the transporter is unable to differentiate between Dr. McCoy and the torpedo. We cannot beam one back without the other. Furthermore, there are additional concerns if using a transporter to beam a heavy weapon, which, of course is why it was taken to the surface below by shuttlecraft in the first place. By the time I could get to the transporter room...” Spock began going on one of his rants, causing Jim to sigh, while I sent a every obvious pissed off look.

“Dr. Marcus, can you reverse the action that just took place within the torpedo? Can you disarm it?” Jim asked, know that I wasn't doing very well with this in the first place, and I wanted good news because at the moment, my mind wasn't in a good place.

“ _I-I'm trying!_ ” She called back to us in a complete panic.

“ _I can't get my arm out!_ ” Bones said, he was in pain. And hearing it through his voice, I began to cry a little.

I felt arms wrapped around me and someone pull me to them. It was Uhura, I can tell. She ran her fingers through my hair in a soothing way. I continued to cry. There was so much I wanted to say, yet, I couldn't get it out. I was frightened out of my mind. The timer ticking down, it felt like it was going slower and slower each time. I couldn't go through with this, I was shaking so badly now, even with Uhura holding onto me tightly.

“ _Jim, I'm... boned. No reason for both of us to be. Get her out of here. You can beam her back aboard without any problem._ ” Bones voice came through the comm. That's when I let out a scream.

“NO!” I sobbed, holding onto Uhura for support. “You can't.. I can't lose you... I can't! Bones.. Please.. don't do this...”

“ _I love you too,_ ” Bones said, his voice sounding a little happy. “ _Don't worry, I'll be in the stars. You'll always be looking at me._ ”

“Stop it..” I said, shaking my head. “You're coming back..”

“ _I don't think I am.._ ” He said, his voice dropping.

“ _No! You beam me back, he dies! I can do this, dammit! Trust me!_ ” Carol cut through, and it sounded like she would be working hard for it.

“Standing by to transport Dr. Marcus on your command, sir.” Sulu said, his voice void of all emotions.

I shook my head, sobbing more, finally falling to my knees and holding myself together. Uhura knelled next to me, rubbing my shoulders while holding me to her. I couldn't even think straight. I can't.

“ _Twenty seconds,_ ” Bones mumbled. “ _Eighteen..._ ” Silence then sudden loud voice. “ _Hey, what are you doing over there? I thought we weren't supposed to touch anything?!_ ”

“ _Like I'm going to make things worse by trying?_ ” she responded. “ _Please be quiet._ ”

Four... three...

“ _SHIT!_ ”

....

“Deactivation successful, Captain,” Spock reported calm as ever.

I shot to my feet before going to Jim and leaning over the back side of his chair. “Bones, are you all right? Leonard?”

“ _Jim, you're gonna want to see this, Spock is gonna want to see this._ ” Bones paused. “ _Everyone is going to want to see this, but I'm not sure everyone should. Not until we know more about what I'm looking at right now. A lot more._ ”

I looked to Jim, both of us had raised eyebrows. Something wasn't right with those torpedoes to begin with. But with Bones' statement thrown out there, something wasn't right at all anymore.


	10. Chapter Nine-Broken

Spock, Jim and I rushed down to Sick Bay, the three of us curious about what we would find within the disarmed torpedo. Spock made a comment earlier that the torpedo. Spock made a comment earlier that the torpedo possibly held a dead body, which seem Spock was trying to joke about after earlier events. The three of them entered Sick Bay, going towards the back where it was made for larger life-forms. Jim and Spock went to Carol's side by the torpedo, as I went to Bones; taking over the job of patching up his arm for him. Bones greeted me with a lop-sided smile, showing that he was at least okay.   
  
"Not wanting to see what's in there?" Bones asked, watching me do my work. "I swear it's nothing bad,"   
I continued with my job, not looking up at Bones. "...I thought I was going to loose you," I whispered, my voice weak still from my sobbing earlier. "Bones... I couldn't lose you too," 

  
A large hand rested upon my cheek, causing me to look up into blue eyes, my own eyes red and puffy. "I might have died, but I wouldn't leave you if I had a choice to live," he said, his thumb rubbing my cheek softly. "I will always come back to you, you're my life... My future."

  
I finished dealing with Bones' arm, about to say something before Spock cut in, "Jade, I think you should look at this," the Vulcan voiced, causing my face to become grim. I just inwardly sighed, Bones chuckled, lightly shoving me towards the others.

  
"Okay, what is it that I must see?" I questioned, walking between Carol and Jim to look into the torpedo. The sightly I looked in on wasn't one I was expecting to see when I looked in. My eyes searched the body, before looking to Spoke, following to Carol, until finally landing on Bones. "He's alive, right?" 

  
"Yeah, he's still alive," Bones confirmed, getting up off the table, joining them by the torpedo. "His vitals are minimal, like to levels you'd like to have if you wanted to take a nap on the floor of the Antarctic Ocean," 

  
I looked back to the man, eyebrow raised when I took in the cryotube. "This cryotube is ancient..." I voiced, causing them to look at me, rather confused, and I only shrugged. "I had to do an independent project for a final..."

  
Spock looked to the man in the cryotube, then back to me. "Can he be revived?" he asked, wishing that they might get some answers.

   
"Since we haven't had to freeze anyone since the early days of deep space exploration, we don't carry the equipment needed," I began to explain, crossing my arms over my chest. "We have to use the same way that he was put under with to wake him... Without the knowledge to wake him, if we trying anything... We might end up killing him." 

  
Everyone fallen silent by my words, Bones came to my side and wrapped his uninjured arm around my shoulders. Silence filled the room for a few seconds longer, then Bones cleared his throat. "There is another thing that I need to mention..." he brought up, making everyone eye the Chief Physician. 

  
"Bones, this has to be important, right?" Jim asked, obviously more on edge than he should be. "Because I have so much-"

  
"Jim, it's connected to this..." Bones said, going easy on the topic. It had to be something mind blowing if Bones was taking his time to break the news to Jim. "I took a little bit of skin, nothing like a person would notice, and I ran some test... He's three hundred years old." 

  
Spock and Jim glanced at each other, soon enough, Jim was high-tailing out of the Sick Bay with Spock right on his heels. I looked to Bones, who nodded his head before I took off after them. I knew where they were going,but someone needed a level head, and I think Spock might not be enough for Jim... What concerned me more was the look in Jim's eyes. 

  
  
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?"

  
I came into the brig at a perfect time thankfully, as well as catching John Harrison's attention as well, earning a smirk from the man. I felt my stomach clench when my eyes met his, and I seemed to catch Harrison's attention even more. "I am the Genetic beginning of that very girl, the first step to what she can do," he explained, still eyeing, making me feel sick. "And it would seem you are the last genetically genetically engineered being, because your so unstable." 

  
Spock and Jim looked at me, and I was frozen at Harrison's words... That couldn't be true... Was I really unstable? I knew that I was genetically enhanced, just like my parents, but unstable? How was that possible? Does that explain everything that has been happening to me lately? Could I be dying? So many questions were floating through my mind as I stood there. Each one becoming more scarier then the previous.

   
"Chey?" Jim questioned, his eyes widening when he noticed how my eyes were blue now rather then green. "Chey, what's wrong?" 

  
Spock rushed over to me, grabbing onto my arms to keep me up properly. "Chey? Answer us, are you okay?" Spock questioned, making me look at him.

   
I looked to Harrison, my eyes becoming so serious,I probably seemed so mature. "Who are you, and explain properly." I demanded, my ability becoming active, my markings appearing and shining such a bright green color, more bright than normal. 

  
Harrison watched me, becoming relaxed. "Myself and the others were engineered to be superior to others to lead them to peace during war," Harrison began explaining to us, all of us staying still. "Then we were classified criminals forced to go into exile. Centuries we slumbered, thinking one day we would be awoken... Hoping things would be different from our time we left." 

  
"So, you were in a cryotube as well?" Spock questioned, obviously trying to piece things together now, due to how weird events have been lately. 

  
Harrison looked to Spock, clearly interested in him. I was getting the feeling that he knew more then what he was letting on. Maybe he was going to tell us everything. "I would still sleeping if your planet hadn't faced it fate... Yet that also left your Starfleet searching unknown areas, leading them to find me, out ship left to drift. Though,only I was awoke, to only lead me to learn about the destruction of Vulcan... And so much more." 

  
Jim stared at Harrison, clearly a bit frustrated by the man in the prison, he had to close his eyes. "'John Harrison' didn't exist until a year ago," Jim stated, taking a deep breath. "I looked it up." 

  
"'John Harrison' was just a mask that Admiral Marcus when he awoken me," he began again, staring at us through the glass. "To hide who I truly was, because I was to help him in his cause, hence why I was given a new name... Let's just say if an ensign had run a check on me... Things would be rather difficult." 'Harrison' smiled at all of us, pausing for a moment it would seem.   
  
Silence had fallen over us once again. I still hadn't calmed down from his words. Though, how much did he know? Does he have all of our backgrounds memorized? How much did he have on me? Spock had finally let me go, letting us go to Jim's side, nobody did anything else. I kind of wished I could have a good chat with Jim and Spock, but with how my markings were neon green, I was a bit scared that I would do some serious harm to them rather than any kind of good.

  
'Harrison' looked to them, speaking once more. "My name is... Khan."

  
Jim nodded his head softly, though it seemed he didn't understand the bigger picture. "I'll accept that bit, but what I don't understand is why a Starfleet Admiral would need with you; a three hundred year old man, for anything." 

  
The man in the brig; Khan, had an indifferent look on his face. "Simply because I am better. Better for what the Admiral has in mind... Better than anything- or anyone- that he has." 

  
"Better? At what?" Jim asked, before glancing at me. "Like you said, Chey is a better version of you, why would Admiral Marcus need you?" 

  
Khan shook his head, looking to me as well, which caused me to physically flinch. "I also said she was unstable. Why would Alexander Marcus want a broken thing with a name?" He questioned, causing me to physically collapse to the ground by some unknown force. "Alexander Marcus needed someone to respond to an uncivilized threat in a civilized time. He needed a working mind, not a broken one... One dedicated to combat, to winning, to surviving, one who doesn't mind the color red. He needed me. Not the broken toy."

   
All sounds seemed to disappeared from me, and I had no strength to hold myself up. No strangers words had affected me to such an extent. How was this even possible? Weakly, I lifted my head, looking to Khan, who was still staring at me with those dark eyes of his, causing my own to widen at the sight of them. This wasn't me, I never reacted like this, but why was I reaction now? Out of all times now? "Marcus militarized Starfleet. Only to send you to fire those torpedoes, the very ones I created, on the home world of the Klingons. Though once found out, the Klingons will be outraged, finally leading to the war that Admiral Alexander Marcus wanted." 

  
The three of us stared at Khan, not believing what he was saying. Marcus, of all people, wanted a war with Klingons, the very people that we've been trying to keep the peace between. I could feel myself starting to shake, not because of Admiral Marcus, but because the entire time Khan has been speaking, he's been looking right into my soul. "You are all just his pawns, moving forward to make things easier for the King." 

  
"No." Jim said firmly, his voice holding a new tone I've never really heard before. "No. True or not, none of it changes the known fact that all three of us watched you killed a room full of unarmed Starfleet officers and support personnel, all out of cold blood." 

  
The look in Khan's eyes changed, which oddly got me to my feet, coming closer to Khan, I didn't even flinched when he began talking. It was under a spell. "Marcus took my crew from me," Khan stated, the pain there. "I was the only one revived. I helped design new weapons, and I would plea for my crew, yet it fell on numb ears. I was always told 'Eventually'. It never happened. My begging never gained a new response, it was always 'Eventually', soon enough, I grew to realize that 'Eventually' in Admiral Marcus' terms meant 'Never'." 

  
"You killer..." I said, my voice shaking, my eyes glowing neon green again. "YOU MURDERER!" I was about to punch out towards the glass, exactly where Khan's face before Spock stopped me.I looked to Jim and Spock, breathing heavily. My mind felt so hazy, but I forced myself to focus in. I relaxed, stepping away. "I'm going to Sick Bay..." I announced, leaving the area quickly. 

  
I was still shaking so much. Out of the elevator I went, storming into Sick Bay quickly, heading to the back, where I knew I would be safe. Though it seemed Carol was the only one there. "Hey," I greeted, taking a seat on one of the beds. 

  
Carol looked at me, a bit surprised that I was there, or even talking to her. "Hello, Jade, is something I can help you with?" she asked, moving some hair from her face, clearly a bit confused. 

  
"Um, can I talk to you about something?" I asked, trying not to seem too awkward about this as well. All I've been doing is giving Carol the sink eye the entire she's been here.   
Carol sat her pat down on the empty bed next to her, looking at me with an raised eyebrow. "What is it?" Carol asked, looking at him with curiosity in her eyes.   
  
I looked to my hands, making the marking appear. This time, it seemed to be a bit more difficult. "So, I'm apparently broken," I said, watching the marks glow faintly. "The very man in the brig knows so much about me... He's how I was able to have these abilities... And I'm broken. I'm just a failed experiment." 

  
Carol stood there, looking at me, trying to understand what I was trying to say, what was my true meaning behind these words I was speaking. "This has something about McCoy doesn't it?" she asked, her eyes softening. 

  
"A bit," I admitted, thinking of every encounter that almost lead to sex, but never did because of myself. "For so long now, I can never give the serious physical intimacy that he wants... I keep hurting him... I can control the ability all together, but as soon as I try something that will make someone I care about happy, I hurt them... It's like this entire ability is a curse." 

  
Carol listened to me rant about all of this. about how I'm placing blame on what happens to Bones on myself. "I heard how your abilities came to be," she said, finally taking a seat. "I even read the notes on how the serum had first been unstable until it randomly became stable... I found out it was my father who figured out how to make the serum stable. I honestly didn't know it came from Harrison's' blood." 

  
"Actually, Harrison's name is really Khan," I informed Carol, smiling softly. "Your father made the entire identity for the man for his own good. Your father wanted to militarize Starfleet. All those men and woman are of Khan's crew, his family..." 

  
Carol's mouth opened, and Bones walked in complaining about something, pausing when he realized that Carol and I were both there , looking at us. "What are you two doing?" he questioned, causing Carol to smile and me to softly laugh. "Okay, what is it?" 

  
"Nothing, Leonard, just girl talk," I said, resting against the bed, and looking at him upside down. 

  
"Well, I hope it's of something important and you two aren't gossiping about your sex lives," he joked, going around the area in search for something. 

  
Carol and I looked at each other before the giggling began, causing Bones to eye the two of us, probably very suspicious of what was going on between Carol and I now. Carol was about to eave him off when the sound of a ship wide broadcast was heard. All three of us got up, going to one of the screens. The sight we saw wasn't much of a shock, but it was a bit more like we didn't want it to be true.

  
Along on the screen with Jim was none other then Admiral Alexander Marcus.

  
I looked to Bones, knowing what was clear on my face. All of my fear, how truly afraid I was at that very moment.

  
At that same moment, it truly saw how broken I was.


End file.
